Sadec and Cai Be, Vietnam

Jan 25, 2019 - Jahan

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A local woman constructs furniture using water hyacinth. The water hyacinth is an invasive species known for choking waterways in the Mekong. Using water hyacinth has the two-part benefit of bettering the circulation of hindered waterways and capitalizing on an industry of baskets and other furniture that did not previously exist!

Today was our last full day on the river, and we spent it well, cruising through the Lower Mekong River in Vietnam. We set anchor near the town of Sa Dec, taking that morning to venture along the neighboring island of Binh Tanh. It began on a local sampan boat, transiting small waterways of rafts carrying water hyacinth in all directions. When we arrived at Binh Tanh, we stopped to see locals in the village weave together the traditional reed mats they have made for many years, if not decades. On one occasion we witnessed the amazing sight of a woman making furniture out of the very hyacinth we had seen transported by raft that morning!

In the afternoon, cultural expert Paula Swart gave a talk on Vietnamese shipwrecks as we positioned the ship toward our afternoon destination of Cai Be. Once we arrived, we again boarded the local sampan boats, heading off to another waterfront village. Rather than reed mats and furniture, however, on this island, workers busied themselves over candies and rice alcohol. It was a fantastic day on the Mekong and an opportune one to learn a few small intricacies of the greater Vietnamese culture!

About the Author

Max Seigal grew up in beautiful Boulder, Colorado, and spent his early years working at his parent’s veterinary clinic, which sparked his love for animals. At a young age, Max fell in love with conservation and travel. He studied abroad in both Costa Rica and the Bahamas during high school, and went on to graduate summa cum laude from Ohio Wesleyan University with degrees in environmental science, zoology, and economics.